The manager and the player obviously speak before the game and decide who wants to take penalties, then the manager chooses his 5. So Southgate may not have chosen him to be in his 5.Originally Posted by Jeterpool
But the fact that Henderson wasn't even on the pitch during the penalty shootout, is a sign that he definitely didn't want to take one. If he had wanted to take one, but Southgate didn't rate him as a quality option, he could have named him at 9 or 10 on the list. At least his presence is out there to keep the team focused and calm. I don't think he's a superb footballer, but he is a good leader.
Just to clarify, I don't want people to think I'm shitting on him just cause he's from Liverpool or that I'm blaming him for the loss or anything. I just hold him to a higher standard than say Shaw or Stones because he is meant to be a leader. When it comes to the biggest game of the tournament, when they are a few key moments that will decide the fate of the footballing nation... Would you rather rely on a UCL and EPL title winning captain, who's played at a World Cup, etc, etc, or rely on a 19 yr old who's never taken a competitive penalty in his entire career?
I simply can't get my head around Henderson either not wanting to take one. Or even if I'm wrong, Southgate thinking that he wasn't needed out there with the group during the end.
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